Authentication of a 3G cellular device over 4G mobile network

Abstract

A customer premises node device can receive an authentication message from a fixed cellular communication device that operates according to a third-generation mobile network access standard (e.g., a 3G alarm panel). The customer premises node device can facilitate transmitting the authentication message, to a network node that operates according to a fourth-generation mobile network access standard. The authentication message can then be routed via mobile network components, including a network gateway device, to a home location registry device, which can authenticate the 3G fixed cellular communication device for communications on a 4G mobile network.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a third-generation mobile network access transceiver of a customer premises intermediate node device comprising a processor, an authentication message in a first format from a fixed cellular communication device operating according to a third-generation mobile network access standard; 
 converting, by the customer premises intermediate node device, the authentication message in the first format into a converted authentication message in a second format according to a fourth-generation mobile network access standard, wherein the converting comprises adding a data element to the converted authentication message that classifies the converted authentication message as originating from a third-generation user equipment that operates according to the third-generation mobile network access standard; and 
 transmitting, by a fourth-generation mobile network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device, the converted authentication message to network equipment that operates according to a fourth-generation mobile network access standard and facilitates providing third-generation radio network control, wherein, as a result of the transmitting, the network equipment is enabled to:
 identify the converted authentication message as originating from the third-generation user equipment based on the data element, and 
 facilitate routing of the converted authentication message to a home location registry device for authentication of the fixed cellular communication device to communicate via the fourth-generation mobile network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed cellular communication device comprises an alarm panel. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the authentication message comprises an international mobile subscriber identity number associated with the fixed cellular communication device. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding the data element comprises using an access point name that facilitates communication tunneling of the converted authentication message to the home location registry device. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the third-generation mobile network access transceiver employs a third-generation mobile network access femtocell standard. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the converting further comprises, in response to determining that the authentication message is associated with an alarm condition, adding a priority indicator to the converted authentication message. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the third-generation mobile network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device, an instruction that facilitates a reduction in power of a signal that was transmitted by the fixed cellular communication device. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, by the third-generation mobile network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device, an instruction that facilitates selection by the fixed cellular communication device of a transmission frequency that reduces a probability of interference from other transmissions that have been originated by other communication devices. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using, by the customer premises intermediate node device, a stored international mobile subscriber identity number associated with the fixed cellular communication device to determine whether to allow a connection of the fixed cellular communication device to the customer premises intermediate node device. 
     
     
       10. A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a customer premises intermediate node device comprising a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 receiving, by a third-generation mobile network access transceiver of the customer premises node device, an authentication message in a first format from an alarm panel cellular communication device operating according to a third-generation mobile network access standard; 
 changing the authentication message in the first format into a converted authentication message in a second format according to a fourth-generation mobile network access standard, wherein the changing comprises adding a data element to the converted authentication message that classifies the converted authentication message as originating from a third-generation device that operates according to the third-generation mobile network access standard; 
 transmitting, by a fourth-generation mobile network access transceiver of the customer premises node device, the converted authentication message to a long term evolution network node using the fourth-generation mobile network access standard, wherein the long term evolution network node facilitates routing the converted authentication message based on the data element, using an access point name communication tunnel via mobile network devices, to a home location registry device, and wherein the home location registry device has been configured to initiate an authentication of the alarm panel cellular communication device to communicate via the fourth-generation mobile network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device, in response to the routing of the converted authentication message. 
 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the authentication message comprises an international mobile subscriber identity number associated with the alarm panel cellular communication device. 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise, transmitting an instruction that facilitates a reduction in power of a signal transmitted by the alarm panel cellular communication device. 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise, transmitting an instruction that facilitates selection by the alarm panel cellular communication device of a transmission frequency that reduces a probability of interference from transmissions by other communication devices. 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise, prioritizing emergency-related transmissions received from the alarm panel cellular communication device by associating respective classes of service with the emergency-related transmissions. 
     
     
       15. A customer premises intermediate node device, comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 receiving, by a third-generation mobile network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device, an authentication message in a first format from a fixed third-generation cellular communication device operating according to a third-generation mobile network access standard; 
 transforming the authentication message in the first format into a converted authentication message in a second format according to a fourth-generation mobile network access standard, wherein the transforming comprises adding a data element to the converted authentication message that classifies the converted authentication message as originating from a third-generation user equipment that operates according to the third-generation mobile network access standard; and 
 transmitting, by a fourth-generation mobile network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device, the converted authentication message to network equipment that operates according to a fourth-generation mobile network access standard and facilitates routing, based on the data element, the converted authentication message to a home location registry device for authentication of the fixed cellular communication device to communicate via the fourth-generation mobile network access transceiver of the customer premises intermediate node device. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 15 , wherein the fixed third-generation cellular communication device comprises an alarm panel. 
     
     
       17. The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 15 , wherein the authentication message comprises an international mobile subscriber identity number associated with the fixed third-generation cellular communication device. 
     
     
       18. The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 15 , wherein adding the data element comprises using an access point name that facilitates communication tunneling of the converted authentication message to the home location registry device. 
     
     
       19. The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 15 , wherein the third-generation mobile network access transceiver employs a third-generation mobile network access femtocell standard. 
     
     
       20. The customer premises intermediate node device of  claim 15 , wherein the transforming further comprises, in response to determining that the authentication message is associated with an emergency condition, adding a priority indicator to the converted authentication message.